This is an update to my first story, when I purchased my Strength key earlier this year. My story is "My strength, my family". This story comes in two parts, bringing it full circle.
http://www.thegivingkeys.com/blogs/news/12260789-my-family-my-strength
I gave my Strength key away in May to one of my closest high school friends. We saw each other in April for the first time in years. She is an amazing mother to three boys and such a loving person overall. She's going through a difficult time transitioning to being a single mother. I know she can get through this for not only her boys but for herself too. We've always said to each other "We are a lot stronger than we think", so I gave her my Strength key a few days before Mother's day to give her a little extra strength, my strength, to pull through. As her boys grow up to adulthood, I know that because of her strength now they will love and appreciate her fiercely. she will be loved as she should be loved.
The bittersweet part to my story is the need to summon that strength once again, a year after my dad's stroke. As I write this, it is 4th of July and I am sitting at my father's bedside in the ICU. He's been in a coma since July 1st after taking a fall on the patio. By the time this story has been read by TGK staff and posted, he will no longer be with us and his soul will be at peace. I believe God has a plan and his plan was to bless his children with strength to carry on. He gave us time; a year to create beautiful memories and demonstrate our love for our dad. We were given a chance to make things right and to capture happy moments such as the picture attached. It was taken 3 weeks ago, when he was listening to music and I came in singing (horribly) and dancing for him. It made him smile and that is the kind of memory I will hold onto.
The love of a family is what keeps most of us going. My friend stays strong for her boys. My family is gathering all the strength we have to say our goodbyes and give him peace.
My Strength key, although I no longer carry it, holds so much strength now. I know I did the right thing giving it to my friend. I hope her strength in this time passes ob to her boys, and they take care of her and her heart as my family did for my dad.
